Aug 30, 2016 2 min read

Mon Valley Community Health Services of Westmoreland County, Monessen, was among an additional 25 agencies in Pennsylvania named a Center of Excellence by Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration.

Centers of Excellence offer treatment to residents with opioid-related substance use disorder.

“As we all know, the opioid epidemic does not discriminate – it affects Pennsylvanians from all walks of life,” said Wolf in a statement. “With these additional locations, my administration is continuing its commitment to expanding high-quality treatment across Pennsylvania.”

During phase one of Wolf’s plan to combat opiate addiction, the state Department of Human Services implemented 20 opioid use disorder Centers of Excellence by utilizing $10 million in behavioral health funding. The department implemented 25 additional centers with $5 million in state Medicaid funds and $5.4 million in federal funds after analyzing the impact of adding medication-assisted treatment on Medicaid managed-care rates.

The approach uses team-based treatment, with the goal of integrating behavioral health and primary care and, in certain cases, evidence-based medication-assisted treatment.

“Adding the 25 new locations brings the total number of COEs to 45,” said DHS Secretary Ted Dallas in a news release. “The department’s goal is to provide all Pennsylvanians with treatment that addresses not only their substance use disorder but also the underlying physical and behavioral health issues that often fuel that and are at the root of their addiction.”

The Washington office of Southwestern Pennsylvania Human Services CARE Center in July was named one of the first 20 opioid use disorder Centers of Excellence, expected to provide services to 4,500 people currently unable to get treatment. Wolf said the additional centers will serve at least 5,600 more individuals.